


Love, Yohei

by BitterCherry



Category: Slam Dunk
Genre: M/M, enjoy my half assed gay panic, he's silent gay pining incarnate, honestly yohei just makes my gaydar go off ok, my boys just deserve so much more?? im crying i hate this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-04-29
Packaged: 2020-02-09 22:15:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18647158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BitterCherry/pseuds/BitterCherry
Summary: For Yohei, it's been a struggle to realize and accept his feelings for Hanamichi. As their friendship grows and dissipates, he realizes the harsh truth of what's been happening right before his eyes.





	Love, Yohei

_-Summer, 1993_

_"Asleep again?"_ Yohei thought to himself as he was staring back at Hanamichi, who was slouched over and snoring in the back of the class. It's such a regular occurrence that not even the teacher cares to bother with him anymore. Yohei couldn't help but smirk a bit at him. _I wonder who he's dreaming of._

The mindless droning of the lecture cut off as the bell rattled for break. The time had seemed to go by so quickly that Yohei found it a challenge to snap himself out of the daze he was trapped in. He walked over to the snoozing boy and gave him a swift slap on the back.

_"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty,"_ Yohei said as he immediately cursed himself afterwards. _Sleeping Beauty? What was that?_ Hanamichi jolted out of his chair quickly and winced in slight pain as he put a hand to his temple. _"Fuck, my head..."_ He rubbed at his forehead and muttered to himself angrily. Yohei attempted to get his attention again by saying, _"Stayed up late thinking about the game again, huh?"_

_"Yeah...I just can't get it outta my mind,"_ Hanamichi pouted. _An opening, take it._ Yohei quickly piped up with an idea. _"Maybe we could do something after school together. To help get it off your mind, y'know?" Together? Way too hopeful._

Hanamichi finally met his eyes. He gave a warm smile. _"Yeah bro, only if you're payin' though. Think of something good!"_ He gave Yohei a friendly jab with his elbow as he began to walk away.

Yohei couldn't get a word out, so he sighed a shaky breath. He could hear his heart pounding fiercely. _A date? A date? No, couldn't be. Kind of?_ He took a deep breath. For the rest of the day, he made a plan as to where the two would be headed. There was simply no time to pay attention to lectures when you're a boy in love.

_-After School_

Yohei was waiting patiently at the gymnasium door for Hanamichi to finish his basketball practice. His eyes kept darting to the clock on the wall, then to Hanamichi. _Back and forth, back and forth._

Soon enough, practice finished as usual. Hanamichi walked over to Yohei, wiping the sweat off his face with a towel he had around his shoulders. _Fuck._ With heavy breaths, Hanamichi eagerly said, _"Be there in just a sec, gotta change first."_

_"No problem, bud,"_ Yohei replied. He tapped his foot at the ground to try to expel the nervousness from his body as Hanamichi ran to the locker rooms. The red head quickly came out in school uniform, equipped with a bag that laid on his hip.

_"So? Where are we headed?"_ He said with a bright smile on his face. Maybe he was a little too eager to get out of school for once. Yohei put his hands in his pockets and tried to speak as nonchalantly as he could. 

_"Well, I was thinkin' of that one restaurant down town. I think it's about 10 minutes out from here."_ Hanamichi nodded in agreement, and so they walked off together.

Struggling to make conversation, Hanamichi would usually have step in to lead it on the walk there. Yohei felt at a loss, Hanamichi's life was so much more interesting than his. He felt as if he was missing something important. If only one unknown factor would change, his life would feel even somewhat fulfilling. But he didn't have time to think about that now, they had already arrived. 

The time they spent at the restaurant seemed to go by much too quickly. They talked for hours on end, and slowly but surely Yohei became fully comfortable in Hanamichi's presence. The two made each other laugh so much to the point where it became a competition to see who would crack up first.

Yohei felt an overtaking sense of peace he couldn't describe. But, the sun soon set. The deep orange sky darkened into a deep blue. Even the stars decided to show their shining faces. As the two walked out, they took a long moment to gaze at the sky.

The silence was broken when Hanamichi gripped Yohei's shoulder. _Freeze._ _"I'll be honest, I'm feeling a lot better now. Thanks man."_ It was another rare moment of his genuine side that took so long to coax out of hiding.

He gave one of his dorky smiles and a wave as he walked off. Yohei barely got out the words _"See you later."_ He sighed and began heading back to his house as he took one last look at Hanamichi. Once he arrived back, he fell down face first into a pillow resting atop his bed.

He propped himself up with his elbows and rested his tired face onto the palms of his hands. Giving a sigh, he then got up and sat down once more at his small work desk. He took out a piece of paper and a worn pencil. _I'm really doing this, huh._

_Dear...No, don't start it out with that. Hello...Nah, too formal. How about...Hey. I've been thinking. About a lot of things. About you. "No, no, no that's awful,"_ Yohei said aloud as he crumpled up the paper and tossed it into a waste bin.

_Let's start again. I really want to you know something. Not sure if you know, or I'm just really good at keeping secrets, but I-_

_Abysmal._

9pm, 10, 11. _I don't get it._ The papers piled up. A frustrated Yohei used his hands to weave through his hair. _You're just, always there._ Time passed. It became a great struggle for Yohei to keep his eyes open. Eventually, he got up slowly to wash his face in a sink. Looking deeply into the mirror, he blew some air upwards, and pieces of his hair moved with it. He slapped his face with both hands, and retired to bed. One paper remained on his desk, folded into thirds.

-Days Afterwards

His secret remained hidden deep in his school bag. _How many days has it been?_ Weeks passed. As they did, Hanamichi and Yohei had found themselves drifting. _It's always about basketball with you._

The championship was always the first thing on Hanamichi's mind. _Why does it mean so much to you._ He'd truly found his passion. His zest for life. Yohei would always show up at his games, but he couldn't help but feel sidelined. _Abandoned._

But, he'd always keep a smile on his face. He'd still support Hanamichi, even though he was painfully aware that it wasn't him he was smiling at whenever he'd glace up at the bleachers anymore. _Yeah, it's her alright. She's perfect for him._

They would still talk. It would never feel the same as their "date", though. At least that's what he thought at the time. Once, Hanamichi would catch his glance as he was walking to practice with the rest of the team. He smiled slightly and waved. Yohei smirked back at him. Once Hanamichi turned his back, he took out his secret. He stared at the paper longingly, and then tore it in half. Yohei crumpled it as he felt his heart beat again. Faster and faster, until he threw it into the nearest waste bin. He sauntered out of the school, smiling. _Just like the rest._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading till the end I really appreciate it :')))


End file.
